Only Time Will Tell
by thatredheadgirl
Summary: Brooke's leaving right as things are heating up with her and Nathan. Will she be able to stay and be with Nathan or forced to join her parents in California to be the family they never were. R&R to find out! OneShot
1. Chapter 1

Brooke Davis felt as if her life was ending at the tender age of 17. She was the captain of the cheerleading squad, the most popular girl at school, her parents were loaded, she had amazing friends, and was so close to getting the man of her dreams. But in true Brooke Davis style her parents dropped the bomb on her.

"We're broke and moving to California." Her dad's words kept playing over in her head as she laid on her bed starring at the ceiling a feeling of dread washing over her. She still hadn't told her friends that she was leaving she was hoping that if she waited until the last minute her parents would decide that she should stay here and finish out high school with her friends but no she was leaving in the morning and had to tell them she was leaving.

She sighed getting up and slowly making her way towards her bedroom door, taking one more look around the room before she grabbed her bag and car keys deciding that she was going to tell Haley first. She glanced around her house as she made her way down the stairs trying to remember every little detail about her childhood home. She stopped at the big red door and fought back the tears. Determined to get through the next couple of hours before her life was over she opened the big red door and made her way to the car. She backed out of the driveway and took one last look at her house before she drove away.

She walked into the café and found Haley leaning against the counter chatting with Luke and if Brooke was really paying attention she would know that they were definitely flirting and make a remark about it but she just didn't notice. She sat down and sighed not knowing how she was going to break the news to her friends.

"Brooke what's wrong?" Haley asked after a few seconds of her sitting there.

"Um….I just came to say goodbye."

"But you just got here." Luke joked hoping that she would smile but when she didn't he knew something was wrong.

"No I'm leaving Tree Hill tomorrow morning."

"Why?"

"My parents are broke and they're moving the family to California."

"Brooke you can't leave before senior year we were supposed to finish out high school together." Haley replied her eyes watery and her voice shaky.

"Yeah Brooke we can figure something out, my mom can talk to your parents and you can just stay with us."

"I already tried that, they want me to live with them so we can be the family that we never were."

"Oh Brooke I'm gonna miss you!" Haley exclaimed coming out behind the counter and wrapping her arms around her friend.

"I'm gonna miss you too Hales, I'll stay in touch I promise." She wiped at the tears that were now falling down her face before she turned and wrapped her arms around Luke.

"Bye Brooke, don't forget to call." She laughed against his chest and pulled away waving one last time before leaving the café and wiping the tears away were falling fast down her face. This was harder than she ever thought it be or hoped it would be. She didn't expect Haley to act like she was dying and never coming back, but wait she probably was never coming back if her parents had their way.

She got in her car and put her head against the steering wheel sobbing almost uncontrollably. She finally composed herself after a few minutes and drove off towards her best friend Peyton's house which would be one of the hardest goodbyes that Brooke had to deliver before the night was over. She sighed as she pulled up to Peyton's house and got out of the car studying the house embedding it in her memory. She glanced at her phone noting that she could spend at least 2 hours with Peyton before her last goodbye, the hardest goodbye. Brooke slowly made her way up to the door taking deep breaths on the way to delay the tears that she knew were going to fall. She slowly brought her hand to the door and gently knocked.

Peyton came to the door a few seconds later and took one look at Brooke before firing off question after question not letting Brooke get a word in edge wise. Finally Brooke put her hand over Peyton's mouth so she could drop the bomb. "Peyton if I remove my hand you have to stop talking." She shook her hand and Brooke removed her hand letting it drop and she starred at it gathering all her courage.

"I'm leaving Tree Hill."

"You're going on a trip?"

"No Peyton I'm moving out of Tree Hill for good, I'm not coming back probably ever."

"Why?"

"My parents are broke and my dad got a great job offer in California so we're moving there to be the family that we never were." She was crying now and Peyton had tears in her eyes.

"But they can't take you away from me, not before senior year. I can't do it alone, who's gonna be captain of the squad?"

"You can do it without me, you have Jake by your side and I was hoping that you would take over the squad."

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning bright and early so I can meet with my parents and go to the house."

"Oh my god Brooke that's so soon."

"I know and I was hoping that if I waited long enough to say goodbye to everyone that my parents wouldn't force me to go and let me stay here but no they won't budge."

"They won't even let you stay with me."

"Yeah that went over real well, I think my mom said, 'two girls alone in a house with teenage boys running rampant I don't think so.' I even cried and threw a fit but no they won't budge. So I'm here to say goodbye and that I'm gonna miss you."

Brooke left Peyton's house hours later as the sun was setting and Brooke didn't have time to collect herself in the car because she knew that she had to get to her last stop before all the parties started and soon she found herself in front of the last place she ever wanted to be right now. She didn't want him to see her like this at her worst state she's ever been in.

She found herself standing frozen in front of his door. "God it's just Nathan knock on the damn door." She said to herself forcing her hand up and gently knocked on the door. She waited for him to answer and found herself growing impatient. Finally as she was about to leave the door flung open and very tired Nathan stood in front of her.

"Brooke what are you doing here?" He asked as she turned back around and he got a good look at her noticing the tear stains on her cheeks.

"Um…do you have a minute?"

"Sure come on in." She nodded and made her way into his small apartment and going straight to the couch that she had dubbed hers when Nathan first moved in. "So what's wrong?"

"Um….I just came by to say goodbye."

"You came in here to say goodbye?"

"Not that kind of goodbye Nathan, goodbye as in I'm leaving Tree Hill."

"What?"

"I'm moving to California."

"Why?"

"My parents want to be the family that we never were so I'm moving to California to be the perfect daughter." She was sobbing again and this isn't what she wanted to happen. She wanted to make it out of here without shedding a tear but here she is not even 2 minutes into her little speech and she was sobbing into Nathan's shoulder. Her parents had the worst timing ever, she and Nathan were so close to finally becoming a couple. 'Why couldn't they drop this bomb at the beginning of the year when things were shitty?' She asked herself as she started to calm down. "I'm sorry." She wiped her tears off his shoulder. He felt the heat as her fingers brushed his skin. He couldn't believe that she was leaving right as they were about to become official and now they would never know what could have been.

They sat in silence for some time before Brooke stood to leave saying that she had an early flight and that she never meant to hurt him and before Nathan knew what he was doing he was kissing her with all that he had. He wanted her to stay with him and never leave.

He pulled away and looked at her trying to gage her reaction when her lips crashed against his. They moved towards the couch and Brooke pulled Nathan on top of her playing with the hem of his shirt before ripping it off and threw it. Nathan pulled away from Brooke's mouth and moved down to her neck. Brooke arched her back as Nathan sucked on her neck and toyed with her shirt before it joined his on the floor. Nathan skillfully one handedly removed Brooke's bra and discarded it on the floor amidst their shirts before picking her up and without breaking their passionate kiss moved them into his bedroom.

By the time they reached the bed Brooke's sweats were thrown and Nathan's pants were halfway down his leg. He kicked them off and crawled on top of her continuing to suck on her neck before moving on to her breasts and by her reaction Nathan knew he was doing something right.

Nathan pushed against Brooke making her call out his name begging him to enter her and Nathan being the pleaser that he was gladly complied and soon they were grinding together making their own rhythm. They continued until early into the morning and finally collapsed around 3 in the morning. Brooke toyed with her hair as she watched Nathan sleep. She had to be at the airport by 9 o'clock and knew that sleep was not going to come tonight. She just had sex with Nathan Scott and now she was leaving. Just when things were right where she wanted she was leaving.

She gently kissed Nathan and gathered her clothes. She stopped on her way out leaving him a sweet note sealed with a kiss before leaving with a broken heart and tear stains on her shirt.

Nathan woke up the morning around 6 in the morning noticing the empty side of the bed next to him. He knew that she left but thought well hoped that she would be here in the end. He sighed and made his way to the kitchen to grab some juice before going for his morning run when he found the note sitting on the counter with bright red lip stick on it. He smiled and picked up the note.

_I know that by now you know that I left. Trust me when I say that I didn't want to leave your side ever but this is what it has to be. I wish that my parents weren't broke and forcing me to move and leave you but I can't change that. So I leave you with this, I love you Nathan Scott and I always will._

_Forever and always,_

_Brooke Davis_

Nathan set the note down a feeling of a broken heart washing over him. He couldn't give her up like that not after he knew that she loved him. He was determined to make it work with her if she was willing to make it work. So grabbing his keys he hoped that she was still at home and not on a plane to California.

He made it to her house in record time and ran to the door banging loudly on the door hoping that she wasn't sleeping because she could sleep through anything. Finally Brooke came to the door looking worse then when she had come to his apartment earlier in the morning.

"Nathan what are you doing here?"

"I can't let you leave without you knowing that I love you."

"Nathan," She started but his hand shot up silencing her.

"No hear me out, you can't leave not when there's unresolved business. I don't care what it takes I want no need you to stay here. I can't lose you and be forced with the feeling of what could've been. Don't give up on us Brooke; please don't give up on us. I'm willing to fight for you no matter what." He stopped to take a breath and looked up at her and saw the tears that were falling down her face. He wrapped his arms around her holding onto her never wanting to let her go.

She pulled away first and knew that she couldn't leave but there was no way that she could stay. She had to do what her parents wanted her to do no matter how much she hated them for ruining her life.

"Nathan you need to know that I've done everything that I can to stay here but they won't budge. I have to go but I don't want you to ever forget me." She threw herself into his arms crashing her lips on his and he picked her up holding her as tight as he could without hurting her.

They pulled apart minutes later both had tears in their eyes. This was it, there was no going back now. They were never going to know what could've been because it was really happening the boxes were on their way to California and Brooke's limo was waiting for her in the driveway. There was no turning back now, Nathan was reluctant to let her go but finally after promises of calling when she was settled her let her go a tear sliding down his cheek as the limo pulled away. Nathan kicked a rock near him out of frustration, he was pissed that he didn't make his move before. He calmed down and decided to go see if Luke was at the café because he could really use his brother right now. He needed someone to tell him that it was okay to feel like his world had just come crashing down and that his life was over. He could see himself marrying Brooke but now all he could think about was that he was never going to see her again.

He walked into the café and found everybody else there too all sad about Brooke's leaving too. Luke took one look at him and knew that he had finally told Brooke that he loved her. He shifted down a bit so Nathan could slide into the booth with them.

"Are you okay?" He whispered into Nathan's ear and Nathan shook his head no. He didn't think he would ever be okay not without Brooke by his side. He put his head down on the table and Peyton rubbed his back hoping to at least nonverbally telling him that she was here for him whenever he needed her.

Awhile later after faking somewhat happiness for awhile Nathan stood up and left the café for home feeling drained from the day's events. He just wanted to redo the whole day, no the past 6 months because then he could've had Brooke and together they could of come up with a way for her to stay. Nathan found himself parked in front of her house thinking about the girl behind the big red door that he was madly in love with before heading towards his apartment to probably just crash.

When Nathan got home he got in the shower hoping that the hot water could relax his tense muscles. Nathan shut his eyes and rubbed his head as let the hot water wash over his body and when he opened them Brooke was standing in front of him washing her hair looking sexy as ever. Nathan's mouth hung open and just as he was about to move towards her and kiss her he was brought out of his dream by a knock on the door. He shut off the water and dried off throwing on his basketball shorts.

The person at the door grew impatient as Nathan slowly and lazily made his way to the door. He hoped that it wasn't Luke or Peyton because he didn't really want to put up with their worrying over him. He didn't need them worrying over him, he needed Brooke back in his life. He flung the door open ready to lie to Luke and Peyton when his eyes settled on the familiar body of Brooke Davis. He shut his eyes and shook his head taking another look making sure that he wasn't seeing things like he did in the shower.

"Brooke?" He questioned thinking it was his mind playing tricks on him.

"I couldn't do it Nathan, I got to the airport checked in and while I was sitting there all I could think about was how I couldn't leave you not without knowing what could've been. So I called my parents and told them that I wasn't coming. That I would do anything to stay here and be with you so they said that if I didn't come I was cut off and that they would pay for all my stuff to be shipped back but after that they were done. Nathan I did it, I stood up to my parents." Nathan smiled and wrapped his arms around her lifting her in the arm. He had never felt so happy in his entire life, he wasn't going to be stuck with the feeling of what if now he would know what would happen. He pulled away slightly and kissed her with so much passion that she had to wrap her legs around him for support.

She pulled away for air and detached herself from Nathan and moved towards the couch. Nathan looked confused and followed her not knowing why she looked so confused all of a sudden.

"Brooke what's wrong?"

"I have no where to stay, no job, no money, how am I supposed to get a place if I have no money?" She took a deep breath after her one breath babble and looked at Nathan a fearful look etched on her flawless features.

"You can stay here with me." He whispered unsure of her reaction.

"I couldn't impose on you like that."

"Brooke you're not imposing on me, I want you to live here with me. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"But…"

"No buts if we have problems we'll figure it out but Brooke it's the clear decision. It makes sense it works so stop fighting it and just give in." She looked at him a smile slowly growing on her face before she jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"So where do we go from here?" She asked later on as they laid in their bed coming down from the high that came after their celebration sex.

"Only time will time Brooke, only time will tell." She nodded and cuddled herself against him and at this moment in time everything was okay.


	2. Author's Note

After thinking it over for a little while I think I'm going to write a sequel or continuation of the story for Only Time Will Tell and Christmas Wish, still not sure about Skin but I'll have the new chapters or stories up shortly and will be updating quickly.

Kaite


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